An Interactive Annotated World Bibliography of Printed and Digital Works in the History of Medicine and the Life Sciences from Circa 2000 BCE to 2022 by Fielding H. Garrison (1870-1935), Leslie T. Morton (1907-2004), and Jeremy M. Norman (1945- ) Traditionally Known as “Garrison-Morton”

15961 entries, 13944 authors and 1935 subjects. Updated: March 22, 2024

ELLIS, John

2 entries
  • 12706

An essay towards the natural history of the corallines, and other marine productions of the like kind, commonly found on the coasts of Great Britain and Ireland. To which is added the description of a large marine polype taken near the North Pole, by the whale-fishers, in the summer 1753.

London: Printed for the author & A. Millar, 1755.

The first work to state the animal nature of corals, which had previously been regarded as marine plants. It has been asserted that although unsigned, some of the plates are after drawings by Ehret.

Digital facsimile from Biodiversity Heritage Library at this link.



Subjects: BIOLOGY › Marine Biology, ZOOLOGY › Anthozoology
  • 12707

Directions for bringing over seeds and plants from the East-Indies and other distant countries in a state of vegetation: Together with a catalogue of such foreign plants as are worthy of being encouraged in our American colonies, for the purposes of medicine, agriculture, and commerce. To which is added the figure and botanical description of a new sensitive plant, called Dionaea muscipula: or, Venus's Fly-Trap.

London: L. Davis, 1770.

On p. 34 Ellis published with a separate part title, A botanical description of the Dionaea Muscipula, or Venus's Fly-Trap. A newly-discovered sensitive plant: In a letter to Sir Charles Linnaeus, Knight of the Polar Star, Physician to the king of Sweden, and Member of most of the learned societies of Europe from John Ellis, Fellow of the Royal Societies of London and Upsal. This included the first published image of the Venus Fly-Trap. Digital facsimile from huntbotanical.org at this link.


John Ellis's plate of the Venus Fly-Trap, Dionaea Muscipula



Subjects: BOTANY